Tangled: The Story Within
by She11y
Summary: Ever wonder what happened with Rapunzel and Flynn/Eugene between the scenes of their story? This series of one-shots details, in order, the untold events which took place with our beloved pair.
1. First Meeting

"I'll be here."

Rapunzel watched from the window of her tower as her mother walked through the gaping hole in the rock, concealed on the other side by a curtain of leaves and vines. Despite knowing the exit to this confined part of the forest where her tower of seclusion hid, she didn't dare venture out; she was safer inside.

She let her 70ft of golden hair spill freely over the window ledge and billow gently in the wind. The contact it made with the blades of grass below was the closest she had come to touching the expansive greenery and her heart ached with longing.

Contemplating her loneliness, she sighed wistfully. Although she had her mother and Pascal, an amiable chameleon and her loyal companion, her life felt incomplete. She knew it was dangerous outside and that the magic held in the fibres of her hair would make her vulnerable, but somehow that wasn't enough to ease her yearning.

Above all, she was determined to see the floating lights, in person. Having charted stars, she realised that the lights she saw appeared only her birthday. From this she knew that, in some way, they were significant to her. The need to discover was stronger than any desire she had felt to leave her tower before. Yet her mother doubted her capability. Rapunzel wondered how much longer she would have to spend her life held restrained, bound by invisible chains of overprotective love. Was the world so terrible that it was better to imprison oneself, much like the surrounding curved walls had been limiting her for nearly 18 years? It was this unforeseeable future that intensified her loneliness.

* * *

He hurtled through the sky at an alarming speed; the ground came sickeningly closer to his face as his body descended rapidly towards it. Before crashing to the earth, he cursed aloud to the horse who sentenced him to this grizzly end and mentally prayed to be a rich man in his next life.

He closed his eyes to await his sentence.

The impact was softer than he had anticipated, but he still seemed to be falling. He reopened his eyes to find himself tumbling through the canopies of several trees before plummeting clumsily into a blossoming bush. Although he experienced stabbing pains in several places over his body and his joints protested at him angrily, he was also aware that his equine pursuer was still on his trail and that, with unbelievable luck, he still possessed the satchel.

He immediately jumped to his feet.

Without any hesitation, he darted for the boulder ahead of him, uncomfortably conscious that the horse had landed not far behind him. He held his breath as he heard the sound of its hooves drawing nearer to him, trying to pick up his scent. When it passed by, he slowly stepped back and placed his hand on the wall behind him, only to grunt at the unearthing that it was a veil of vines, concealing the entrance to a small cave. His audible discovery brought the horse back on his trail with a deafening whinny, and he dived into the leafy curtain, clutching his satchel tightly to his chest.

His heart pounded loudly. With even more luck, the horse passed on again and he made haste in following the light at the other end of the tunnel.

* * *

After spending a while at her window, soothed by the occasional breeze on her face, Pascal tugged impatiently at the sleeve of her dress.

Pushing the hair from her face and then lowering her hands to cup her chin in her palms, she turned politely to the green chameleon. "Yes, Pascal?"

Using his tail, he pointed eagerly at a pile of wooden bits, string and paint pots on a table at the other side of the room.

"You're right, Pascal," Rapunzel agreed, immediately understanding his request. "We should finish building the den I promised you."

Reluctantly, she dragged herself away from the ledge, her hair ascending the length of the tower the further she made distance from her original position at the window.

She kneeled at the small table whilst Pascal sat on the base she had already constructed to test its sturdiness. Satisfied, he nodded his head which was followed by an approving grunt. He then scurried over to the pot of green paint and placed a confident hand on its rim.

Rapunzel laughed sweetly. "Yes, Pascal. We can paint it green."

* * *

Once he was certain that the horse was no longer following him, he turned around to face the hidden world he had stepped into.

His eyes widened at what existed before him: the area was small and enclosed by two stone cliffs that were staggeringly high. They met at a point at the back of the glade and a waterfall descended gracefully between them, leading into a gentle stream that shimmered in his direction. The ground he stood on sloped down to the water before rising again almost vertically to a grassy mound, decorated with wild flowers and dainty bushes that surrounded an impressive tower. As tall and as elegant as its pointed purple turret, it was almost the height of the stone cliffs behind it. Long green vines grew up the tower's crumbling neck, leading to a rounded head with a large open window - the perfect hideout.

He ran down the hill and leaped onto the mound, being careful to avoid falling into the stream. Up close, the tower seemed a lot taller and he questioned whether he would be able to reach the top.

"Here goes nothing," he muttered, pulling out two arrows from his satchel. With a forceful stab into the wall, he began his climb.

* * *

Rapunzel used the time working on the model to distract herself from her saddened thoughts. Absorbed in the task at hand, she failed to hear the voice at the base of the tower.

Pascal nudged her urgently.

"What is it?" she asked curiously.

The chameleon jumped at an unsettling sound: a loud scrape against the stone wall that the neck of the tower was constructed from. Seconds later, the sound repeated – this time slightly louder, as if the disturbance were travelling up.

Rapunzel gripped the edge of the table, alarm paralysing her. The noise continued, and was soon followed by vocalised grunts.

"Ruffians," Rapunzel whispered fearfully. Determined to defend herself, she jumped to her feet to find a weapon. She threw cupboard doors open in the kitchen, pushing bowls, cups and wooden spoons aside. Her hand landed on a small pot and she quickly grabbed it.

Coming to her aid, Pascal shook his head and pulled firmly at a frying pan.

"Yes, thank you, Pascal," Rapunzel said frantically, gripping its handle determinedly.

* * *

The climb turned out to be a strenuous tasks, thanks to the bruising on his body, but he had no intention of giving up. With each stab he made into the bricks of the tower, he thought of the memories he usually pushed into the back of his mind, using them as a source of adrenaline. Together with his jewelled plunder and the tranquil sanctuary awaiting him, he accumulated enough determination and strength in which to reach the tower's window.

* * *

The sound of the intruder was becoming much louder and she knew she didn't have much time. She dashed over to a wooden beam beside the window to conceal herself. Breathing heavily, she noticed her hair lying across the floor, tresses pointing at different angles. In several frantic motions she gathered up the golden trail she had left and shoved it in a heap behind her.

As the intruder reached the ledge of the window, he jumped inside and slammed the doors behind him hastily. The sound of his desperate panting eased into a relieved sigh as he leaned against the wall.

Silently, Rapunzel moved towards him, adrenaline rushing through her body. The figure was male: tall with broad shoulders, dark hair and heavy boots. Facing his back, she watched him remove the satchel he was wearing and bring it to his front. What was inside she couldn't see.

He gave another huge sigh. "Alone at last."

Expecting him to remove a weapon from his bag, Rapunzel immediately hit him hard around the head, mustering all the strength she had to offer.

She gave a frightful squeak and hid behind her dressmaking mannequin. Wanting to be brave, she peered over the top and stared at the figure on the floor. He wasn't moving; she mentally congratulated herself on her aim. Curious, she pushed the mannequin forward and eventually stepped around it to take a closer look, bearing her frying pan for protection. His jaw length hair masked the face which beheld his identity. She prodded his head with the frying pan tentatively before drawing it back in defence in case he were to move. When he didn't, she looked at Pascal for reassurance. The chameleon, who was sat on the tiled floor beside her, shrugged in response.

Rapunzel knew she had little of this moment left before her mother returned. Desperation and anxiety flared inside her. She had wanted the opportunity to meet the outside world for so long; now that a part of that was inside her tower, she was at loss with what to do.

Using her frying pan again, she turned his head on its side, again bracing herself for any signs of movement. Locks of hair still rested on his face. Her eyes were wide, fearful; she breathed heavily.

Realising Pascal was trying to get her attention, she distractedly looked at him. The small creature plodded over to the red painting of a 'ruffian' that Rapunzel's mother had painted on the ground, as an example of what she was trying to protect her from. The painting had fangs which Pascal mimicked by altering his skin to a shade of red and putting his fingers in front of his mouth to represent the sharp canines. Rapunzel nodded her head in understanding. She grimaced.

Holding the rim of the frying pan, she used the handle to lift the being's upper lip. It revealed a set of straight, white teeth. Bemused, she decided to flick the remainder of hair from his face.

The man's eyes were closed and his expression was softened. He wasn't how mother had described at all. Her body relaxed as she examined him. She had never seen a ruffian before but she knew that he wasn't one.

As she leaned in closer, the man suddenly awoke; the eye which faced her opened. Without any hesitation she hit him with the base of her frying pan again.


	2. When Life Begins

The man, who went by the name of Flynn Rider, stared at Rapunzel with an unusual expression which he called 'the smoulder': an arrangement of squinted eyes and pouted lips. Somehow, it was supposed to distract her from the deal she had proposed to him.

Before he had awoken earlier, she had successfully bound him to a chair with her golden tresses. Since then, she had discovered two things about him: he had no interest in her hair and all that he did care about was his precious satchel - in addition, she assumed, to the jewelled tiara she had found inside it. Flynn had also told her he was being chased and, upon seeing her tower, he had decided to hide within it. What he was concealing himself from, however, he hadn't disclosed.

Rapunzel trusted that her captive's words were genuine. Nevertheless, as her only opportunity to see the lanterns, she had no choice but to believe him. She had been naïve to hope that her mother would eventually let her leave the tower. It was almost as if Rapunzel's safety was paramount to her mother's existence.

With no other alternative to fulfil her dream, Rapunzel struck a deal with her prisoner, in which she would only surrender his satchel to him if he took her to see the lanterns and returned her home safely.

Yet Flynn seemed reluctant to settle with the compromise.

Unperturbed by his suggestive attempt to divert her thoughts, Rapunzel hardened her glare.

"This is kind of an off day for me," Flynn whispered. He blinked slowly, sustaining his alluring countenance. "This doesn't normally happen."

Mere moments passed before he complied at last. "Fine!" he cried, irritation burning behind his eyes. "I'll take you to see the lanterns."

Elation burst inside Rapunzel. "Really?" she exclaimed, bunching her fists close to her face. In her sudden joy, she released her hold on the chair which had been balancing on its front legs.

Flynn crashed to the floor and his face squashed against the wooden slats.

"Oops," Rapunzel murmured nervously; Pascal squeaked in awkward agreement.

"You broke my smoulder." Flynn's voice was barely audible from speaking into the floorboards.

Regaining her sense, Rapunzel grasped onto the back of the chair. "Let me help," she said, as she hauled the wooden seat upright.

Flynn wriggled his nose. "At least that's not broken," he muttered quietly. Raising his thick eyebrows, he looked expectantly at Rapunzel. "Well, are you dragging me to the lanterns or are you going to loosen these knots?"

"Yes, of course," Rapunzel replied. In her ecstatic state, her hands were clumsy as she untangled Flynn from the tight clutches of her hair. Pascal assisted her using flicks of his tail, being intentionally careless when he brushed its sharp point against their new guide's skin.

Although Rapunzel needed Flynn to be mobile in order to lead the way, liberating his makeshift chains gave him the freedom to run, along with her only chance to witness the lanterns in person; it also gave him the chance to attack.

When the lasts strands fell obediently to Rapunzel's side, she took a hesitant step back. In her peripheral vision she located her frying pan which she had regrettably abandoned on the wide mantelpiece.

No longer restrained, Flynn rose to his full height and stretched his limbs. He was at least a head taller than her, with broad shoulders and large hands. Whilst he wore strong, sturdy boots on his feet, he fashioned a confident goatee and had traces of a stubble on his jaw, indicating that he was several years older than her.

Averting her eyes, Rapunzel placed another foot back, eager to retrieve her frying pan. Fearful for his human companion, Pascal growled threateningly in the back of his throat.

"_Relax, _Blondie." Flynn's attempt to reassure her failed as she jumped in fright. "Most women bat their eyelashes or fiddle with their hair when they look at me," he admitted offhandedly. "But you," he said, gesturing to her, "you look at me like I'm some thug."

Rapunzel flinched at his words.

"_That,_" Flynn stressed, reaching his arm further to her with an exasperated look. "That is what I'm talking about."

Releasing a short, anxious laugh, Rapunzel apologised lightly. "I'm just a little nervous."

"Nervous about what?"

She tucked a stray lock behind her ear, trying to buy herself time. Looking at Pascal for reassurance, he merely shook his head and pressed his hands over his mouth. Questions: she knew Flynn would have a lot of them and there was more than enough time in which to answer them.

"Leaving this tower," she confessed. "This journey ahead… people."

"People?"

Her confirmatory nod was hesitant.

Flynn raised an uneasy eyebrow. "When was the last time you left this tower?"

Continuing to walk back, Rapunzel bit her lip tentatively.

"Have you… _ever _left this tower?" asked Flynn, following her path until her back hit the fireplace.

She looked up at him through her eyelashes. When she spoke, her voice was timid. "No."

With widening eyes, Flynn inhaled deeply. "W-o-w." After accentuating each letter, he finally exhaled. He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Dare I ask why?"

Rapunzel spoke quietly, but her tone was firm and implied she no longer intended to continue the subject. "I don't wish to talk about that."

Flynn opened his mouth slowly. "_Okay…_" He walked back and pointed in the direction of the singular exit. "Shall we get going?"

"Shouldn't we bring food?" Unsure of how far the lanterns were, Rapunzel thought it sensible to pack some for their journey.

"Blondie," Flynn said, preparing to swing his body out of the window. "We've already got our arms full with your hair. I'll find us a bite to eat on the way." He then disappeared over the ledge.

The last moments Rapunzel had to herself were spent looking at the room around her; it was the only world she had ever known. She took the time to absorb the artistic designs she had decorated her walls and ceiling with, her painting of the floating lights, and the first step of the staircase where she had hidden Flynn's satchel. Although she was relieved he had agreed to her deal - one he took better than she had anticipated - she was now filled with a newfound dread as she contemplated the many consequences of her decision.

She grabbed her frying pan. With every pace closer to her escape, another doubt clouded her vision.

"We can do this, Pascal," Rapunzel murmured but uncertainty was evident in her voice. The faithful chameleon rubbed his head comfortingly against her neck.

"You coming, Blondie?" Flynn called from outside.

Standing at the window, she wrapped her hair around the hook above her and gripped onto her tresses tightly. With her frying pan tucked under her arm and Pascal perched on her shoulder, she stepped carefully onto the ledge.

At last, her life was about to begin.


	3. You'll Know It When You Smell It

The idea came to him as he watched Rapunzel. There was no denying that the girl was unusual: she had unnecessarily long hair; a chameleon for a pet; and suspicious secrecy surrounding her time in that tower. Her private life didn't concern him, though; once he had his satchel back he would disappear – far from her, his thieving companions and the kingdom altogether.

Traces of teasing and amusement lied in his expression. He was somewhat fond of her jumpy nature, albeit the endeavour was already becoming tedious. He needed a quicker alternative to obtaining his satchel. Judging by her naivety, there was still a possibility of renegotiating their deal.

His knowledge of her response towards anything potentially 'scary' brought to mind a particular bunch who gathered in a very unsuspecting bar. Undoubtedly the locals there would put her off ever leaving her tower again.

"Are you hungry?" Flynn asked suddenly, his words oozing with enthusiasm. "I know a great place for lunch." To level their eye contact he bent his knees and rested his hands on his hips. Trying to avoid Pascal's distrusting look, he plastered an animated grin on his face.

Rapunzel laughed bemusedly. "Where?"

"Oh don't you worry," he said, grabbing onto the edge of her frying pan. "You'll know it when you smell it!"

As Flynn dragged her along behind him, his greedy mind contemplated the possibilities available to him once he had possession of his satchel and its contents again. Whilst Rapunzel made foolish dreams about lanterns, he would be escaping from the kingdom and, above all, his past. With thanks to the stolen crown, his glorified looks and natural charm, he had no doubt that delicious fame would eventually be his. In solitude he would live in his own castle on his own island. If he were quite honest, he could already smell his success. Admittedly it smelt like deceit, yet success nonetheless. No guilt, no regrets.

Born alone, Flynn intended to live and die this way, claiming all his victory as his own. Success was achieved through selfish acts; only fools put their trust in others.

Rapunzel's voice broke him from his reverie.

"Come again?" He asked, coming to a sudden halt and turning around to face her.

"Hazelnut soup," Rapunzel repeated. "I wondered if they might have any." She blinked at him with such innocence and naivety that Flynn almost felt guilty for lying to her.

"Do they have any hazelnut soup?" He asked back to her incredulously. "The question is, do they ever _not_ have hazelnut soup? Their recipe is the _best _around." The lies poured freely past his lips but they tasted sour in his mouth. For good measure he truthfully added, "Hazelnut soup is actually a favourite of mine." He let go of her frying pan but continued along their path.

"Really?" Rapunzel asked, a joyful skip in her step. Her excitement over their shared food preference was undeniable in her voice.

Amused by this, Flynn returned her infectious smile. "Really. I asked for hazelnut soup every year on my birthday. That's not to say I got it every year, but I always asked."

"Would your mother make you something better instead?" Her eyes widened as if she couldn't believe anything to be better than her favourite dish.

Unease trickled over Flynn's body which he immediately shook off - a reflex response. "Tell me more about _your_ mother," he responded coolly. The falter in her smile indicated it was the wrong request to make. "On second thoughts, enlighten me on the subject of your hair. Now I get that its "special", but why does that stop you from cutting it? I mean, once you've cut it, you could hide it, say, in that secret spot you hid my satchel. You know, that one that no one will ever be able to find?"

Rapunzel bit her lip and looked away. He noticed that whilst her free hand carefully stroked the golden curtain draped over her ear, the other had gripped tighter on the handle of her frying pan.

"Word at the moment is that cutting your hair makes it grow longer. So, logically, you would end up with more hair if you cut it on a regular basis."

Rapunzel crossed her arms and lifted her nose in the air. She breathed out slowly. "Neither myself nor anyone else is cutting my hair. I just want to see the lanterns, and then I want to go home." She peeked at Flynn uncertainly. "Maybe."

"Was that a maybe about the lanterns?" Flynn asked hopefully. "Or a maybe about returning home? Because we _will_ be going back to that tower to get my satchel."

"I know." Both Rapunzel and Pascal looked at him firmly - Pascal seemed perhaps a little too stern. "A promise _is_ a promise."

Rapunzel's reminder of her constant honesty brought back Flynn's secret guilt of his plot to terminate the expedition.

_Every man for himself_, he thought bitterly. Pushing the negativity to the back of his mind, he strode ahead.

"Good to hear, Blondie," he called over his shoulder. "And would you tell your frog to stop with the _really _evil looks?"

"_Pascal_," Rapunzel scolded lightly. Rolling her eyes over to the chameleon, she smirked at his defiant posture. "Flynn is finding somewhere for us to eat, and then he will take us see the lanterns -"

"And you have my satchel!"

"And we have his precious satchel," Rapunzel confirmed. "So we are to be nice to him, okay?"

Pascal croaked a reluctant agreement.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Flynn declared. "Now…" They came to a fork in the path, filled with melodic tunes from the birds overhead. "I know it's around here _somewhere_…" Flynn murmured, looking from right to left.

Locating it at last, he gestured widely to it. "Ah! There it is: the Snuggly Duckling. Don't worry, very quaint place," he reassured, tapping Rapunzel on her shoulder. "Perfect for you. Don't want you _scaring_ and giving up on this whole endeavour now, do we?" He rested his hands on his hips, smug with the ease of how his plan had unfolded.

"Well," said Rapunzel, hugging her frying pan to her chest. "I do like ducklings."

"Yay!" Flynn squealed with bunched, eager fists; excessive amounts of sarcasm and the widest grin he had ever pulled.

Oblivious to his mockery, Rapunzel and Pascal returned the enthusiastic expression.

In one swift movement, Flynn guided Rapunzel down the pathway to the pub's entrance. With his hand behind her waist, he used his other arm to throw the door open.

"Garcon!" Flynn called boldly. "Your finest table please."

The smell of ruffians, thugs and Rapunzel's fear hit him before he heard her let out a gasp of utmost terror.


	4. A Promise is a Promise

"We made it." Rapunzel's breathless words followed desperate gasps of air to revive her starved lungs. Acknowledging Pascal's indebted glance, she took another gulp of oxygen. The realisation that they had escaped the flooding cave was the greatest relief Rapunzel had ever felt. A grin began to spread across her dazed expression.

Beside her, Flynn lifted his head abruptly. "Her hair glows."

As the awareness of their miracle sunk in, her amazement wiped away the confusion across her brow.

"We're alive," she murmured suddenly. Grabbing her frying pan, she lifted the rest of her body over the bank. "We're alive!"

In her newfound elation, she gratefully hauled her hair from the river in sodden clumps, eager to progress with their journey now that death was no longer imminent.

"I didn't see that coming," Flynn croaked to Pascal.

Entertained by his incredulity, Rapunzel called his name, making no hesitation to address him by his true identity. "Eugene."

He had confessed his birth name to her under their initial hopeless circumstances – a valuable secret he hadn't shared with anyone else before. That alternate side of him had been vulnerable, genuine and honest. She decided she preferred that man more than the bandit who had snuck into her tower.

"Her hair actually glows." Eugene looked at Pascal as if for reassurance that his reaction was perfectly sane.

"Eugene," Rapunzel repeated impatiently, her hands firmly gripping onto her golden tresses.

Oblivious to her, the hysteria rose in Eugene's voice. "Why does her hair glow?"

"Eugene!"

He turned his head to her sharply and she noticed that the front locks of his wet hair were sticking up at wild angles. "What?" he cried, his eyebrows twisted over the crazed look in his eyes.

Rapunzel brought more hair towards her. "It doesn't just _glow_."

To her amusement, Pascal smiled knowingly at their guide, who responded with an uneasy expression. "Why is he smiling at me?"

With a roll of her eyes, Rapunzel knelt down and held her hand out to the mischievous chameleon. "Come on, Pascal."

Before scaling up her arm, Pascal shot a fountain of water from his mouth at Eugene's face. Rapunzel resisted laughing at the droplets spattered on his cheek, instead gently scolding the chameleon when he came to perch on her shoulder.

Blasé to Pascal's behaviour towards him, Eugene wiped away the provocation with an apathetic flick of his hand and hopped onto the bank with his travelling companions. His boots squelched as they hit the ground and he grimaced.

"If it doesn't just glow," he asked, kicking off his boots, "what else does it do?" He tipped the murky liquid from his shoes and reluctantly shoved them back onto his feet. "Dance?" Swaggering over to her, he tentatively picked up the end curls of her hair which she had finally retrieved from the river. "Make origami? Or can it, say, I don't know... detect which way is north and point us in the right direction?"

Rapunzel, who had been wringing the water from her hair with dexterous fingers, paused at the task at hand and looked sternly at her guide. "Are we _lost, _Eugene?"

"_No,_" he answered in a raised pitch, swatting the idea away with his hand as if it were a negligible insect. "Just a little... side-tracked, thanks to a few friends." After closely examining the golden locks in his other hand, he gathered more into his arms. "I happen to know a great place where we can rest and get this dried."

Rapunzel's stern look changed to one of uncertainty. "Didn't you say the same thing about lunch?"

"Ah," he replied awkwardly, meters of her hair already piled around his shoulders. "That was a mere misunderstanding. A mistake on my part - won't happen again. Unless, of course, my intuition of our whereabouts is wrong."

"A mistake," Rapunzel repeated, sensing the suspicion in her own voice. She caressed the hair bunched in her palm with fond, thoughtful strokes. "How do you know it won't happen again?" She turned her head down to Pascal, who tilted his head affectionately towards hers. "Maybe it _was_ a mistake to come out here."

"Don't say that," Eugene said softly, coming towards her. "We'll get to those lanterns - I guarantee it. Besides, you don't even need me to watch your back; from what I've seen, you can fend for yourself."

"You really think so?" Rapunzel asked, hope filling her heart again.

"Let's see, Blondie: you pacified a bar full of ruffians and thugs who wanted to turn me in; you helped me escape from a demonic horse and his men; and _then_ you saved our lives with your weird but wonderful hair. Mostly weird, though."

Having never received such compliments before, Rapunzel couldn't help but blush. Whilst Eugene - or at least his alter ego, Flynn - revelled in attention, she was a stranger to deserved praise and tried to conceal her embarrassment with a modest shrug. "It was nothing."

Convinced to continue, she let Eugene attempt to guide her. They followed his hunch of their location, travelling parallel to the river; both of them shared the hope that his intuition was right. With the afternoon behind them, the sun had started its descent and the air was becoming cooler. The weighted dampness of her clothes and hair prompted involuntary shivers and Pascal huddled closer to her neck. Tired from the extraordinary events of that day, they spoke little as they walked, craving food and sleep increasingly with each step taken through the forest.

Although the journey seemed long, little ground had been covered before they entered a small clearing, surrounded by several small trees and overgrown bushes. The secluded patch gave them a vivid view of the sky above. On their left, just before the entrance to the clearing, there was a tall mound of stone boulders, damp and covered in furry moss. A large oak tree had claimed part of the ground before them, with long thick roots that stretched out from the base of the trunk and had pushed through the cracks of the rocky mound beside it. The widest of them extended across the diameter of the clearing and pointed to a gnarled, broken tree stump. In this far corner there was a shaded exit which appeared to lead to another part of the forest. Leaves on the long branches overhead offered a sheltered canopy, altogether creating the prime setting to temporarily reside.

"Aha," Eugene exclaimed, startling a squirrel with russet fur that had been hiding at the base of the oak tree. Rapunzel watched its scurried departure, learning to realise that wildlife often feared her more than she had originally thought to fear it.

"Are we here?" she asked, surveying the natural enclosure before them.

"This is it," Eugene confirmed. He folded his arms proudly and nodded at the tree. "If you climb to the top of that you can see the kingdom."

Rapunzel gasped. "You mean where the lanterns come from?"

"From the castle and the village it rules." Lifting the hair layered on his shoulders, he spread the tresses along the lowest branches of the tree. "Go on! Take a look."

As she reached for the nearest branch, she called to Eugene. "Tell me about the lanterns again."

Eugene leaned against the trunk and looked up at Rapunzel, who was swinging from the tree's arm with Pascal clinging precariously from her foot. "What about them? They're burning paper balloons - nothing special."

"I think there's more to them than that," said Rapunzel wistfully, now sitting on the branch with her legs dangling over. "You said they were for the princess."

"Something like that," Eugene said airily. "I tend to not get involved with the kingdom's affairs; I've never really been welcome there."

"Maybe if you didn't steal their crowns they'd show you a little more compassion," she said observantly.

Eugene sighed and turned his head away, hiding his face from her. "There's more to it than that."

Rapunzel looked at him expectantly, her chin resting in the cup of her hands.

"It's a long story," he stated simply as he slouched away from the sheltering tree. "Anyway, I'm off to find food." He pulled off his boots and tossed them towards the oversized root, along with his blue, worn waistcoat. "I hope you like fish."

"I think I'd eat anything," Rapunzel admitted ravenously.

"Perfect, because I'm probably the worst fisherman you'll ever meet." As he made for his leave, Rapunzel saw him hesitate and turn back around. "Hey, will you be okay while I'm gone?"

She tilted her head coyly. "I can fend for myself, remember?"

"Right!" Eugene agreed mirthfully before dropping his tone to a more serious level. "But try to keep a low profile; you don't know who could be on our trail."

After watching him walk back through the forest, Rapunzel looked down at her chameleon who was sat patiently in the frying pan on her lap. "Are you ready, Pascal?"

He nodded excitedly.

Scooping him onto her shoulder, Rapunzel tucked her frying pan under her arm and began her climb. Each limb that lifted her higher made her heart pump faster. Her hair snagged on the thinner branches, only making her more desperate and impatient. Leaves blocked out most of the remaining sunlight yet, after much perseverance, she located a golden opening to the leafy canopy.

Approaching the very top at last, her foot missed a platform. Before Rapunzel could scream, however, her hair caught itself in the twigs behind her, allowing her enough time to regain her balance. Exerting verbal effort in her throat, she made the final push to the top.

At first the light blinded her.

There was a radius for miles long around her of innumerable trees, obscuring most traces of the earth's surface. Although she couldn't see the _Snuggly Duckling, _she could identify the wall of the dam where they had caused the deluge, and was almost able to make out the river they had followed along.

Eventually she pivoted her body so that she was facing the journey ahead of her. What she saw didn't make her heart miss a beat nor give her the desire to gasp; as she looked at the island sustaining the kingdom, she felt a stillness about her. The castle was situated on the highest point of the land and she carefully took in its elegant spires with their rusted copper turrets and the wide tower that extended from the roof, soaring skywards. A large dome sat on the tower, followed by several smaller turrets layered on top, all coated in the same green tinge. On the end there was a sharp golden point that glinted under the setting sun. The surrounding village was decorated with quaint buildings, the homes or shops perhaps which her mother had spoken of and there were several impressive boats which sat proudly in their port. A magnificent bridge, upholding purple flags, joined the forest to this civilisation, a gateway to a world which she now found herself yearning for. The ache in her chest was the same she felt when watching the floating lights on her birthday - the feeling of missing something precious which she had wrongly lost.

Rapunzel watched longingly until the sun had sunk below the horizon and the moon had come to replace it. Pascal snoozed on her shoulder and she patted him fondly.

"You coming down, Blondie?" Eugene called, making her head turn and lose the clouded vision that had started to form in her mind.

"Coming!" she replied. Since light was limited, she relied on her hands and feet to feel her way down, grateful that she had her tangled hair to prevent her from a sudden fall. Advancing closer to the bottom, she saw a warm glow through leaves and the smell of cooked fish wafted past her.

She dropped lightly to the ground, bending her knees and landing on both her hands and feet for support. As she stood up, she tugged on her hair so that it all tumbled behind her.

"Bon appétit!" declared Eugene, gesturing to the set-up behind him.

Now that his clothes were dry, he had put his boots and waistcoat back on. Beside the thick tree root he had made a fire with two supporting sticks either side which held up a fish carcass on a skewer. The meat had been serving onto two large leaves and Rapunzel's stomach groaned hungrily.

"This looks _wonderful_ \- thank you, Eugene." She beamed at him gratefully.

"Don't mention it," he said, sitting on the oak tree's root and picking up his helping. When she joined him, he nodded to an upturned rock just in front of them. "I found a few delicacies in there if you fancy a bit of grub, Pascal."

The delighted chameleon scurried to the spot and squeaked appreciatively.

They enjoyed their meal in silence; the sensation of food falling into their bellies gave little importance to anything else. When they finished, Eugene threw their leaves into the fire, along with the carcass and skewer.

"What did you think?" Eugene asked, leaning back on one hand and passing her a small flask from the belt around his waist. "Best meal you've ever had, right?"

Rapunzel took a thirsty gulp before handing it back with a giggle. "Honestly?"

Eugene's face fell. "Oh come on, it wasn't that bad."

"For the worst fisherman I'll ever meet, it was actually pretty good," she replied, wearing a genuine smile.

"Thanks, I appreciate that," he chuckled. As his laughter died, silence fell between them and Rapunzel looked down at her hands knotting in the silky folds of her dress.

"Listen," Eugene said, sitting upright again. "I haven't been the best of "guides" and if it wasn't for you, we'd both be dead." He swallowed. "So, what I'm trying to say is -"

"Can I trust you, Eugene or Flynn... or whoever you really are?" She gave him a sad, hopeless smile.

"Eugene," he confirmed, opening up his palms to convey his honesty. "And yes, you can. We made a deal and no matter what happens, I promise you that I _will _get you to those lanterns."

Rapunzel looked carefully into his eyes. "A promise _is_ a promise, you know."

"I know," Eugene said. "And I promise." He held out his hand to her. "Shake on it?"

As Rapunzel went to accept is offer, her newfound smile faltered at the sight of the wound on his palm. She brought his hand closer to her to examine it. "What happened?"

"It's just a scratch," he said heedlessly. "Don't worry about it."

"It could get infected." Worry creased her forehead. "Let me help."

"Look, really -"

Before he could continue Rapunzel had grabbed hold of her tresses and started to wrap them around his hand, completely silent as she focused on attempting to heal him.

"So," Eugene said hesitantly. "You're being strangely cryptic as you wrap your magic hair around my injured hand." He winced and gave a small gasp of pain at the pressure she was applying to his cut.

"_Sorry!_" Rapunzel cringed at her carelessness. She sighed heavily, as if the extra breath would give her the courage she needed to overcome her nerves. "Just don't... don't freak out."

With a final sigh, she began to sing a healing incantation.


	5. A Change of Heart, a Change of Dreams

That night, Eugene understood not only the truth about her hair, but why she had never left her tower before. Since he was the first she had confided in, he could empathise with the difficulty she found in doing so; he had never told anyone his story until now either. It was evident that their lives were very different: they had grown up in dissimilar homes, both in appearance and environment, and had developed into two disjointedly broken people, leading diverse lifestyles – if recluses and thieves were even considered as ways of living. Nevertheless, they also shared a mutual understanding of being alone and how, ultimately, that had impacted on the disconsolate individuals they had become.

In that moment of realisation, they stared perceptively into each other's eyes, only seeing this profound connection for the first time.

Eugene Fitzherbert had known many people in his time, but no one knew him as much as Rapunzel willingly did in their short acquaintance. As her round, emerald eyes held his own, his face softened in a way that he had never known.

The tug on his heart brought him back to their reality.

He hastily cleared his throat and rose to his feet. "Well, I should, um…" He put his hands together and turned away distractedly. "I - I – I should… I should get some more firewood." Gesturing to the forest beside them, he made to walk casually away.

"Hey," Rapunzel murmured, and he immediately turned back. "For the record," she continued in her unwavering honesty, "I like Eugene Fitzherbert _much _better than Flynn Rider."

His heart pulled again. "Well," he said, looking wistfully at his healed palm, "Then you'd be the first." He nodded appreciatively at her. "But thank you."

He continued to admire his hand as he walked away, both bemused and amazed by her impossible gift. Contemplating her acceptance of his true self – a worthless orphan - he curled his fingers inwards and dropped his arm back to his side. If he couldn't even accept Eugene Fitzherbert himself, what value did that give her judgement? Rapunzel was one, insignificant girl in a world shared by countless; her opinion meant nothing when the rest thought otherwise. What's more, he was merely one guy in this world filled with people she had yet to meet; she would undoubtedly think differently of him if given the chance to explore it. Any virtue he did possess had been shut away with his former identity, never to be unearthed.

In his distraction, he became suddenly aware that he had delved unnecessarily far into the forest. The night had engulfed him and he could no longer make out the campfire.

A twig snapped behind him and swivelled sharply around, only to encounter a vast darkness. He took a hesitant step forward, knowing that any attempts to call out would be futile.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement and he squinted at the area to uncover the stalker. Finding merely a rabbit diving into a nearby bush, he chuckled at his paranoia. He remembered how Rapunzel had reacted the same in a similar situation earlier that day - an innocence which he had tried taking advantage of. Guilt washed over him and he pursed his lips together. Although he couldn't fully comprehend his changed behaviour towards such an unusual girl, he knew that he would do his upmost to ensure she had the best day of her life tomorrow. Perhaps then, after he returned her home, he wouldn't feel such regret for reclaiming his satchel, as they had agreed upon, and abandoning her in that tower when it was time to part ways.

Deciding to compress that concern with his many others, he traipsed back the way he had come, almost forgetting to collect more firewood. As he rounded a turn to bring him to the clearing's entrance, his mind wondered back to his hand and the potential ability of the magic that had been cast upon it.

"So," he called out to Rapunzel. "Hey, uh, can I ask you something?" He shuffled over a log in front of him and swung his legs to the other side. "Is there any chance that I'm going to get super strength in my hand? Because I'm not going to lie – that would be stupendous."

His playful tone waned upon finding Rapunzel on her feet, facing the opposite direction, unaware that he had even returned.

"Hey, you alright?"

"Oh!" she exclaimed, turning around and waving her hand flippantly. "Sorry, yes, um… just lost in thought, I guess."

The smile she gave lacked its usual sparkle to which he blamed on her tiredness; he shrugged off the niggling feeling telling him otherwise.

"I mean, because here's the thing," he explained, sitting on the grass and dropping the wood beside him. "Superhuman good looks – I've always had them, _born _with it." He prodded the fire with one of the small logs he had gathered. "But superhuman strength? Can you imagine the _possibilities _of this? Come on, tell me this isn't just wishful thinking."

"I've only ever had to heal mother and myself," Rapunzel said, sitting on the grass beside him. "Although, living in a tower all my life, my injuries were never serious."

"So, you think there's a chance?"

"Well, the incantation asks to save what has been lost – nothing more."

"Ah well," he muttered as the fire grew bigger. They silently watch the flames lick hungrily at the fresh wood and admired the way they danced with each other after their feeding.

"I'm curious," Eugene said, disturbing the graceful movement of the fire. "How did you know you even had this gift? Or know what words you needed to sing?"

She stared reflectively into the flames before giving her response. "Mother told me so, I guess. I've been singing those words nearly every day of my life for as long as I can remember." Hugging her knees to her chest, she continued, "My mother said that there was once a magical flower that grew from a single drop of sunlight which fell from the heavens." She laughed lightly, as if she didn't quite believe the story herself. "She used to sing to it whenever she was wounded or weakened by her years."

"Like a regeneration spell?"

"Yes," murmured Rapunzel, lifting her head up with a sigh. "She said she was alone and was waiting for a time when someone could heal her broken heart – something beyond the power of magic. When she found herself blessed with a child, she knew her prayers had been answered – until she became incredibly sick. Fearing for both her life and the child's, she consumed the entire flower and hoped for the best.

"The magic of the golden flower healed her and a healthy baby girl was born with this _golden_ hair." She became momentarily distant as if the story had elicited an old memory. "Mother discovered that my hair held the magic but when someone had tried to cut it… well, you know the rest."

Eugene had listened in an awed silence; it wasn't the answer he had anticipated. When she had finished speaking, he struggled to find the right words to respond with. The logs continued to burn and crackle and he observed the flames intently as if he would find his answer there.

Following his peripheral vision, he noticed a wet glaze over Rapunzel's eyes that began to spill to the corners when she blinked.

In a wave of spontaneity, he asked, "Have you ever stargazed?"

"All the time," she whispered. "That's how I knew the lanterns weren't stars."

"Tonight's a good night for stargazing," Eugene declared, laying down on his back with a hand behind his head. When Rapunzel didn't move, he rolled his head in her direction and raised his eyes expectantly. "Come on, lie with me." He turned his face back to the sky and smirked. "Before I look stupid."

They lay on opposite sides of the dying fire, scanning every star that scattered the night sky until they had identified all the concrete constellations and also made up some of their own. With her melancholy forgotten, Rapunzel gushed over a collection of stars in the form of a flower, pointing eagerly at how they joined together. Rather than follow where she indicated, Eugene gazed over the embers of the campfire and watched the movements of her animated expression. Her grin filled him with a serene warmth and in her excitement, her eyes seemed to sparkle more than the stars above them.

"Rapunzel," said Eugene gently.

Breaking off from her rapturous ramble, she turned her head to the side, her eyebrows stitched with innocent interest.

"Just for the record, you can count at least one person who isn't here for your hair."

Impassivity washed over her face. "I know, Eugene. You're here for your crown to fulfil your dream."

A burning knot tightened in his chest. "I don't know what my dream is anymore."

Weary and confused, he gazed blindly above. A murky vision plagued his mind: a swashbuckling rogue by the name of Flynnigan Rider – the richest man alive who had fulfilled his dreams and seen the world. The man had everything his heart desired and more. Yet his smile was false and it occurred to Eugene that such a dream wouldn't make his life complete at all. For despite his desired wealth, his dream would also make him the loneliest man alive.

Sitting suddenly upright, he shook the image from his mind, wondering how much time he had spent contemplating.

Curled delicately into herself, Rapunzel slept soundly and peacefully, surrounded by a pool of her hair. Almost instinctively, he crept over to where she lay and layered the golden tresses over her unconscious body, careful not to disturb Pascal who was tucked under her hand. His fingers lingered by her face, causing a mixture of emotions to churn inside his stomach. Pulling his hand hastily away, he returned to his original place and lay his head on a small boulder. Although he tried to leave his mind blank, a single thought remained in his mind as he drifted uneasily to sleep: the notion that perhaps an opinion had some worth if it belonged to a person who mattered.


	6. Bridges

**Author's Note: Hey, readers! I'm so sorry for taking THREE months to update this story! I was busy with exams for a while and I'm also writing another fanfiction for a different story. I'll make sure to be more regular with updates over the Summer! Enjoy! :)**

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For her entire life, Rapunzel had only ever known her mother and Pascal, holding the belief that the outside world was a dangerous place, filled with horrible, selfish people. Yet so far, Rapunzel hadn't seen such a world. Even as she stood between the white stallion, Maximus, and Eugene, who had reluctantly extended a hand out in front of him, she wondered if the picture her mother had painted in her mind was a true reflection of everything that resided outside of her tower.

The lanterns were to be released that evening and Rapunzel was determined not to miss her chance to see them exactly for what they were; considering how far she had come, waiting another year was no longer an option. With her hands clasped politely behind her back she swayed between the opposing sides before her, wearing a hopeful expression.

"And it's also my birthday," Rapunzel mumbled out of the corner of her smile. "Just so you know."

During her adventure, she had found she could positively influence others with her words and Eugene himself had been impressed with the way she had handled the ruffians at the bar. The ability came naturally to her, as if she were born to lead others. Now that she had won the affections of Maximus also, she felt confident that she had convinced him and Eugene enough to remain civil until her dream was fulfilled.

Their discord was centred on the treasure in Eugene's satchel. She had perceived enough to gather that Eugene had stolen from the kingdom and, although Maximus was only seeking justice by chasing the thief, she also understood that Eugene was not a villain. In the past day, Rapunzel had learnt more than she had done in her entire life and her most valuable lesson of all was that the world was not so black and white, but rather shades of every colour in between. Eugene had a dream. Even though his means of achieving it were at the detriment of others, did that lessen the value of its importance? For hadn't fulfilling her own dream been at the expense of her mother's happiness?

Rapunzel had been dreaming about seeing the lanterns her entire life; she couldn't allow the dispute that someone else's dream had caused hold her back. The treasure had nothing to do with her and so she couldn't justify whose side deserved to prevail. And if Eugene, as her mother had warned, still only cared for his plunder despite all they had been through, then nor should she care about his fate once their adventure was over.

The moment Maximus shook on the deal with Eugene – both of them glaring at the other with hard, squinted eyes – the tolling of bells echoed in the distance. They entranced Rapunzel, like a hypnotic voice that called for her, beckoning her to come forth. The more she thought about the moment she would finally reach the kingdom, the more her heart felt complete, as if she wasn't making her first visit, but returning after an incredibly long time.

"Oof!"

As she turned and blinked out of her daze, Rapunzel saw Eugene on the floor, wheezing as he tried to pull his boot back on. There had been a gleeful whinny from Maximus, but now his head was turned and his expression full of innocence. Coming over to Eugene, Rapunzel grabbed onto his hand with two of hers and hauled him to his feet. She stumbled back in her efforts and both Eugene and Maximus went to catch her fall: the thief's hand tucked around her waist and the horse's teeth clamped onto her hair. Once she was steady, the pair froze and glared at each other again.

"Uh, thank you," Rapunzel said with a bemused tone as she carefully pulled the golden strands from Maximus' mouth and then went to loosen Eugene's grip. His head turned to the contact his hand had made with her body and he quickly withdrew it to his side. Rapunzel noticed a confliction in his eyes before they swiftly averted to the forest behind her.

Clearing his throat, Eugene said, "We should make a move; we don't want to be late to celebrate your big day now, do we?" As he stepped forward to lead the way, Maximus snorted in disagreement. Before he could amplify his protest, Rapunzel stood in his path and pressed a hand to his furry lips. He looked at her with large, puzzled eyes and cocked his head to one side.

"Wait here," she whispered. Checking that Eugene was still walking ahead, she hurried to the tree stump where his satchel hid and lifted it in her arms. As she returned to Maximus, his eyes widened in recognition and his nostrils flared.

"I need you to look after this," she murmured, tucking the satchel under his saddle. The horse's lips stretched over his teeth as he made to bite at the strap. "Please," Rapunzel asked firmly, holding his muzzle between her hands. "You made a deal."

Maximus exhaled hot air from his nostrils and nodded once.

"Thank you." Rapunzel knew that she was taking a risk by placing Eugene's treasure in the possession of his opposition, but she hadn't another option. Regardless of her heart, her mind advised her not to trust Eugene - not yet.

"Blondie, let's go!" Eugene was some distance ahead of them and he seemed to swagger with greater arrogance than before. From over his shoulder, he added, "And you should think about putting your dog on a leash."

There was a deafening whinny as Maximus galloped in front of Eugene.

"What now?" he cried in exasperation, his path blocked by the infuriated stallion.

Maximus stamped his front hoof on the ground.

_"Eugene_," Rapunzel moaned playfully as she ran over to him. She touched his arm lightly and raised an eyebrow. "You said you'd behave."

"He thumped me in the stomach!" exclaimed Eugene, thrusting both arms at Maximus, who had narrowed his eyes into two onyx slits.

Pascal, who was sat on Rapunzel's shoulder, croaked wearily.

"As entertaining as this is," Eugene began, lifting a foot to walk around Maximus, "We are on a tight schedu –" He stopped when Maximus sidestepped with him.

"I think we should let Max lead the way," Rapunzel said brightly.

"_Max?_" Eugene questioned disapprovingly under his breath and Rapunzel eyes cut sideways to him warningly. The stallion's ears pricked up in interest and she smiled secretly. As she went over to stroke his snout, she continued, "We need someone _brave _and _strong _to protect us in this forest and guide us to the kingdom."

Maximus instantly stood up straight, his chest puffed and his face set with determination.

"What do you say?" asked Rapunzel with an encouraging grin. To her relief, Maximus nodded firmly and Pascal, rising on his hind legs, offered him a salute.

When the stallion had started to march ahead, Rapunzel followed with Eugene flanking her.

"Are you kidding me?" he hissed quietly so that Maximus couldn't here. "Brave and strong?" He gestured emphatically to himself.

"Oh, don't be so silly," murmured Rapunzel. "Perhaps if you learned to put what really matters before your pride –"

"_Excuse me?_"

As they walked, Rapunzel bit her lip to hide her smirk. "Are you jealous, Eugene Fitzherbert?"

"Of a horse?" When she raised an eyebrow at him he scoffed haughtily. "Blondie, come _on_. I don't get jealous. I have nothing to be jealous of."

Rapunzel could have accepted his answer with a shrug, even though she doubted his denial. Yet her mother's words remained stubborn at the forefront of her mind, chewing away at every other thought she tried to distract herself with.

"Well, I've never been a thief before but I think being one has something to do with jealousy."

There was an apprehensive pause before Eugene released a defeated sigh. "Maybe you're right," he muttered dismally and he snuck a cautious glance at Maximus. "But, listen, I told you why I do what I do and why..." His eyes cut briefly the stallion again and he lowered his voice, "Why I stole that crown. And I know what I said before I left that tower but now... now I don't know if..."

His hesitation caused Rapunzel to look up at him, her eyes wide with a brightened hope that Eugene would say the words she wanted to hear: that he wasn't still here solely for his satchel; that their adventure wasn't over once the lanterns had floated away. Now that she had seen what the world could offer, it would be impossible to return to normality. And it was because of this that Rapunzel needed to know Eugene was still here for more than one reason.

His eyes studied hers for a moment, the depths of his pupils holding emotions which he kept stubbornly concealed. "... I - I don't know whether we're keeping the deal fair if I'm not the one guiding. _I _take you to see the lanterns; _you _give me back my satchel. That was the deal."

At first, Rapunzel could only respond with slow, confused blinks until it dawned on her that her wishes had been imprudent; Eugene risked his life for his dream, nothing (and no one) else. His dream mattered more than anything and that included her.

"Oh," she murmured with a false smile. Her footsteps were careful along the thinning grass and stones. "No, the deal remains fair."

"Right. Wonderful."

Before Rapunzel could wonder how long the thick silence which followed would last for, they were interrupted by the appearance of old man intersecting their path. He was unusually small and Rapunzel realised they had already met him at _The Snuggly Duckling._ He staggered in front of them on thin, wobbly legs, wearing nothing but white underwear and angel wings strapped onto his back.

"Dreams... _dreams... _it's ah... t-tunnel o' dreams..." He hiccupped before swinging a heavy foot around so that he faced them. He jumped upon seeing the two bodies before him and stumbled unsteadily back as if he thought the ground was shaking. Before he could fall, Maximus had galloped over and lifted the tiny man by his wings.

His eyelids drooped as he tried forming coherent sentences. "Don't ask me." He spoke with a lisp and drool dripped onto his long, white beard. "Don't know _nothing._"

Giving Eugene an uncertain glance, Rapunzel asked softly, "Are you lost?"

"The witchy lady," the old man blurted out and he hiccupped again. "Sh-she _made _me talk."

Rapunzel gasped and she wasn't aware her hand had clutched onto Eugene's until his fingers gave it a supportive squeeze.

"Witchy lady?" Eugene questioned and Maximus raised a quizzical eyebrow. "What did you say?"

With a sleazy smile the old man burbled, "My, _my_... she was a _beautiful _lady."

"This is a damn _witch_ you're talking about. Their beauty isn't real. It's fake." Eugene's usual chaffing manner had been replaced with a more serious tone and he spoke firmly. "What did you tell it? What does it want?"

"_Nothing. _I don't know _nothing." _The old man, still suspended in the air, crossed his arms clumsily.

Rapunzel felt Eugene's hand tighten around hers and she realised it was him now who was holding onto her.

"Can you at least tell us where it is?" asked Eugene, his expression weary from the lack of sensible responses.

Following another hiccup, the old man rubbed the beard on his chin, which appeared to be stained with the alcohol he had been consuming. He screwed up his mouth and scrunched his eyes shut as if he was seriously contemplating before he dropped his arms and plastered a dopey grin on his face. "Sorry. Don't know nothing."

Eugene, letting go of Rapunzel's hand, grabbed onto one of the straps around the old man's shoulder in a tight fist and his lazy eyelids suddenly widened fearfully.

"I-I-I think I saw her… last night… with th-three... no... no _two..."_

"Two what?"

"Big guys... same... e-eye patch."

The fear her mother had instilled in Rapunzel for 18 years had suddenly intensified. Her heart beat furiously and her stomach plummeted at a sickening speed when she realised that she'd forgotten her frying pan.

The old man gave an almighty hiccup before his eyes closed completely and his head slumped.

After a frightened squeak from Pascal, Rapunzel whispered, "Is he..."

"Dead?" Eugene finished, releasing his hold on the strap. "No, but he's had one drink too many. You," Eugene said pointing at Maximus, "Put him behind that bush. We need to get moving."

"My mother..." As Rapunzel carefully stroked the curtain of hair at her shoulder, she looked up at Eugene through her eyelashes; her lips shook. "My mother could be out there. What if the witch and the ruffians find her?"

"They're not looking for her; they're looking for me."

"But I... I don't understand."

Eugene ran a distressed hand through his hair. "The two guys - they helped me to get the crown and I ran off without them. I guess now they've sought help from a witch to get it back."

Maximus glared at Eugene in accusation, his mouth snarling around the wings clenched between his teeth.

And although Rapunzel hated herself for doing it, she forced herself to lie. "But we don't have it... the crown."

"I know but they don't know that." He spoke quickly as if he feared their conversation was losing them seconds that were precious. "So we need to get to these lanterns, get back to the tower, get my satchel so then I can -" He stopped abruptly and for another foolish moment, Rapunzel believed he had changed his mind about leaving later. But then his eyes flickered uncomfortably to Maximus and the hope was ripped from her once more.

"Okay," she said bravely, holding her head high.

Once the old man had been laid carefully behind a bush with large, sheltering leaves, they continued their journey. This time, Pascal had took charge in ordering Maximus to lead and Eugene to follow alongside him and Rapunzel.

Whether it was to brighten her spirits or simply pass the time, Eugene spoke about the kingdom with the Rapunzel. With each word he used to describe, she made another adjustment to the mental painting she had in her mind that her mother had created. The earlier fear in her heart had now been replaced with an impatient excitement and it only strengthened the closer they came to their destination.

As the sun rose higher in the sky to mark the end of the morning, the trees became sparser and the grass greener, richer.

For a short while, Rapunzel had been walking with Pascal in her cupped hands and she chatted away to him excitedly, discussing all the things they wanted to do before the lanterns were lit that evening.

When Eugene spoke again, his voice was gentle. "Blondie, look up."

Lifting her head, her eyes widened in awe as she at last beheld the bridge which lead to the kingdom. It was longer and far grander than Rapunzel had first thought when she surveyed it from the treetop, rising up to the middle before descending to the main entrance - a majestic curve over the sea. Stone walls followed the impressive walkway on each side and at the front of the bridge were two large pillars. On the right one, Rapunzel noticed a plaque and she wandered towards it so that she could run her fingers over the engraved letters.

"_Willkommen in_ Corona," she murmured to herself and the familiar feeling that she had been here before rippled avidly through her body. She shook her head and smiled to herself; they had only been dreams. Conscious that Eugene was watching her, she looked back shyly. Although she didn't need his permission to proceed, she wanted confirmation that this wasn't another dream; she needed something to know that this time it was real.

Upon turning around, however, she discovered both Eugene and Maximus were tangled together on the floor, his thigh in the horse's mouth whilst he yanked on a dusty hoof. They both froze when Rapunzel cleared her throat and they smiled guiltily. Eugene clambered to his feet and brushed off the dirt from his clothes. As he walked tentatively over, Maximus trotted parallel with him, his expression wary.

"What are you waiting for, Blondie?" Eugene asked, gesturing to the bridge before them.

Rapunzel wrapped an arm around the pillar, fearing she might fall if she let go. "Am I dreaming?"

"That's an interesting question," Eugene said, leaning against the stone surface with her, "One I've been asking myself since you first hit me with your frying pan."

Rapunzel giggled. "What did you decide?"

"I decided that dream or not, this is _probably _one of the coolest adventures I've ever had."

"Just like Flynnigan Rider's?"

With a wistful smile, Eugene murmured. "Actually, this one is better in some ways. And it's not even over yet."

Rapunzel rested her head against the pillar. "I don't want it to end."

"We'll cross _that _bridge when we come to it," Eugene said and he chuckled at his own joke.

Bringing her arm tentatively back to her side, Rapunzel inhaled deeply in an attempt to settle her internal trepidation. "Okay. Let's do this. Are you ready?"

Eugene gestured to the bridge. "After you."

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**Author's Note: For anyone who enjoys reading Tangled fanfiction, we have a community called Tangled Ever After which includes a bunch of stories about the beautiful romance between Rapunzel and Eugene. The stories are mainly written by active Tangled writers but you'll also find some popular pieces written over the years. Feel free to join if you would like updates on this type of fanfiction!**

** community/Tangled-Ever-After/119604/**


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